


holes in the floor of heaven

by Blayzes



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Keith isnt bad at feelings after all, Langst, M/M, Mutual Pining, klance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-26
Updated: 2018-10-26
Packaged: 2019-08-07 19:03:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16414118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blayzes/pseuds/Blayzes
Summary: Lance is out of bed late and Keith wants to know why





	holes in the floor of heaven

**Author's Note:**

> Just a drabble idea I had. ;w; I'm not great at angst I'm sorry.
> 
> This is unbeta'd, I just wanted to post it.

"Ow!"

A quiet curse in the hallway snapped Keith from his thoughts. It was 1am and he hadn't been able to sleep -- rather, he had taken to just being alone with his thoughts in the quiet of the Garrison hospital wing.

But hearing a very familiar voice outside his door brought him back to reality, and he was quick to jump out of bed and see why Lance was up so late.

He opened his door to find Lance trying to tip-toe, but visibly limping, down the hallway. Lance apparently hadn't noticed that Keith was there, as when Keith walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder, Lance shrieked and jumped, ramming his foot into the wall and cursing again.

"Keith!" Lance stage-whispered, sounding cross. "Warn a guy, wouldja!" His foot was now held up off the ground, and judging by the smooshed in face of the plush lion slippers he wore, this hadn't been the first time Lance had stubbed his foot tonight.

"What are you doing up?" Keith crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh... bathroom."

"The bathroom is in the other direction."

"Oh, uh... I meant the kitchen."

"... also in the other direction."

"... visiting Hunk?"

"It's one in the morning; he's asleep."

"Ugh, fine! I wanted to..."

Keith stepped closer and leaned down to look at Lance's face, which was now faced resolutely at the floor.

"... Lance?"

"I found out my paternal grandparents passed away while I was in space, but my family wouldn't let me leave the hospital to visit their graves. So I'm going out to visit them now." Lance's voice was so quiet and subdued, so broken, that Keith felt a sharp thorn of sympathy pierce his heart.

"Oh, Lance..."

Tears were leaking from Lance's eyes now, though he obviously tried to keep them at bay. "I didn't even-- I didn't even get to say goodbye, Keith. I have to-- have to see them." His fight against his tears and he all but sobbed when Keith brought him into a hug.

They stood there for a few moments, Lance letting out his emotions into Keith's shoulder, Keith's cheek pressed to the side of Lance's temple, one of his hands caressing brown hair while the other rubbed soothing circles into Lance's back.

Finally, Lance pulled back, wiping his eyes and then his nose with the back of his hand.

"I have to go," and when he spoke, it was steadier.

Keith nodded. "I'll go with you."

Lance's eyes widened before his expression morphed into something soft.

"Thank you," he whispered sincerely.

Keith only smiled back, then lead the way to the Garrison exit. Once outside, the two paladins stealthily made their way to a Garrison speeder. Lance looked surprised when Keith managed to get the speeder to work, but hopped onto the back anyway, securing his arms around Keith's waist as Keith swiftly took off.

"I get the feeling you've done this before!" Lance shouted over the sound of rushing wind.

"Maybe!" Keith shouted back, smirking.

Already knowing his way from the Garrison to the graveyard, Keith made good time in arriving there less than 15 minutes later. Keith had barely stopped the speeder when Lance was jumping out and running into the graveyard to search for his grandparents. Keith turned off the speeder and followed more slowly.

While Lance frantically searched each headstone, Keith found himself in front of his father's grave.

"Hey, Pop," he whispered gruffly. He opened his mouth to say more, but was interrupted by a shout from Lance.

"KEITH, OVER HERE!"

By the time Keith got to Lance's side, the Cuban boy was already crouched on the ground and speaking to his late grandparents.

"I'm really sorry I left without saying anything, and that I was gone for so long, and that I couldn't be here when you..."

Lance gulped, blinking when his eyes became glossy, then picked back up in a slightly more upbeat tone.

"But so much has happened! I'm part of a team that saves the universe, called Voltron, and we all pilot these giant robot lions. I used to pilot the Blue Lion, but then our leader disappeared and Keith took over-- oh, this is Keith!" He looked up at Keith with a big smile before turning back to the grave. "He's the leader of Voltron, and he's my--"

At that, he paused before looking up at Keith again, his gaze wary before his face softened and he gave Keith a smile full of affection and warmth. Keith couldn't help but return it.

"He's my best friend," Lance went on more quietly, and Keith felt his own smile widen. Lance turned back to the grave again and his voice was barely audible when he next spoke, "I think he might be more than that," and Keith got the feeling he wasn't supposed to have heard that. With the blood currently flooding his cheeks, Keith was very glad Lance was looking his way.

"Anyway," Lance continued at normal volume, voice cracking slightly, "Keith became Voltron's new leader and started piloting the Black lion, so I took over the Red Lion. I wasn't... really sure I deserved my place on the team. It's Keith that made me realize I was wrong. I think... I think he really needed me."

His voice had gotten quiet again. Keith kneeled down next to Lance and placed a hand on the other boy's shoulder, getting a gasp in return. Keith looked at the grave with a small smile. "I did need him. I was wreck; it was Lance that kept me together -- kept the team together, when I was there and when I wasn't. I knew then I could count on him; I know it now, too, and I rely on him more than anyone else on the team. I'm glad he realized his place was as a paladin, because I'd be lost without him. We all would be."

He turned his smile to Lance, who was gazing back with a teary smile.

"You'd be proud of him."

With a sniffle, Lance directed his attention back to his grandparents. "I'm sorry I wasn't hear for you, but I know you'd understand why I wasn't." Voice cracking and weakening, he added a choked, "I miss you."

And he broke. Keith snaked his arm around Lance completely and brought him to his chest where Lance broke down in sobs. He grasped Keith's nightshirt in tight fists, pressing his face to Keith's chest, and Keith could only press his cheek to the crown of Lance's head and hug him close.

Rain began to pour, starting out as a light drizzle before pounding against the ground. Keith wondered if Lance's grandparents were crying for him. The same thing had happened at his pop's funeral. Keith felt himself choking up but he swallowed it down; Lance needed him more.

The storm was petering out by the time Lance was composed enough to leave. With a final sniffle and, "I love you," at the grave, he turned to leave, Keith's arm still around his shoulders. They walked to the speeder in silence, settled in -- Lance's arms around Keith's waist was a little tighter than last time and Keith patted the boys hands gently before starting the speeder and taking off.

It was past 3am by the time the two boys returned the speeder and got back into the hospital. The entire way, they held hands for comfort, and when they reached Lance's door, Keith shook his head and pulled Lance to his room. Keith settled into bed then pulled Lance into his tiny bed with him, bringing him close in his arms and running fingers through Lance's hair. Lance froze in shock at first but quickly melted into Keith's embrace, clinging tightly to him.

In the silence of the room, Keith barely caught Lance's next words.

"Thank you, Keith."

Keith smiled, warmth filling him from head to toe, heart full with an emotion he had long ago named but had yet to admit out loud. For once, he thought maybe Lance was feeling it, too.

"Anytime, Lance."

**Author's Note:**

> By the way, Keith knows the route from the Garrison to the graveyard VERY well because he used to visit his dad's grave all the time when he was a Garrison student.
> 
> And normally Lance's grandparents would have been buried in Cuba, but they died during the alien siege when Lance's family was forced to stay at the Garrison, so his grandparents had to be buried in the local cemetery instead.
> 
>  
> 
> My main tumblr: [space-mom-lance](http://space-mom-lance.tumblr.com/)  
> My art tumblr: [mewkiichigo](http://mewkiichigo.tumblr.com/)  
> My deviantART: [blayzes](http://blayzes.deviantart.com/)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! <3


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